FLIGHTS FOR LIFE, INCORPORATED

Volunteer Mercy Pilots

Phoenix, Arizona

Cancer patient, Kyle, given opportunity to sit in right-front seat of an airplane

Flights for Life assists in hurricane Katrina relief

More Pictures

Prospective Patient Packet Forms

What Flights For Life Is:

Flights For Life, Incorporated (FFL) was formed in 1984 as a non-profit organization dedicated to providing free air transportation for medically-related purposes. FFL works in cooperation with hospitals, blood banks, health-care agencies and private individuals all over Arizona and surrounding states.

What Flights For Life Does:

On a non-emergency basis, FFL provides round-trip air transportation for needy individuals who must travel from their residence to another location for treatment. FFL provides transportation without regard to financial need if the individual is unable to travel by any other means. Also on a non-emergency basis, FFL provides transportation for human blood, tissue and organs.

FFL provides emergency transportation for human blood on an "on demand" basis, to replenish hospital reserves. FFL provides this service continuously 24 hours a day, 365 days per year.

FFL pilots fly more than 80,000 miles each year providing these much needed services to the public. We fly to many communities, large and small, throughout the Southwest. Our only requirement is that there be a useable airstrip available for our use.

All FFL services are always provided free of charge

Flights For Life Membership

FFL members are men and women volunteers who come from many different walks of life. We have doctors, airline pilots, ex-military pilots, business people, engineers, etc. All donate their time, skill and aircraft free of charge. They receive no compensation for their services. The cost of operating the aircraft is donated to FFL as a charitable contribution.

Cancer patient, Kyle, and his Mother, transported to receive his therapy treatments

Flights for Life Funding:

FFL is recognized by the Internal Revenue Service as a 501-c(3) charitable organization. All contributions to FFL are tax deductible. Donations from patients receiving our services are not accepted. Donations from other organizations or individuals are welcome. These are used solely to offset expenses for business operations.

Patient Transport Requirements

Patients must provide a signed release from their medical doctor authorizing the flight. All patients must be medically stable and ambulatory. They must be able to enter and exit small aircraft with minimal or no assistance. They must be able to remain seated for the duration of the flight (sometimes three or more hours), without medical attention or the use of restroom facilities.

One of our volunteer pilots helping to load human blood into his airplane

Pilot Requirements:

Current per the FARs, plus for:

Day Transportation of cargo:

• 100 hrs. PIC
• 5 hrs in aircraft make and model (10 hrs if high performance)
• 25 hrs. cross-country flying

Night Transportation of Cargo:

• 300 hrs. PIC (200 if instrument rated)
• 50 hrs. cross-country flying
• 30 hrs. night flying (15 if instrument rated)
• 5 hrs in aircraft make and model (10 hrs if high performance)

Patient Flights:

• Above requirements, except
• 25 hrs. in aircraft make and model
• Second pilot on board
• Operated only in Day VMC conditions.

How to contact Flights For Life

Contact Flights For Life at:

Flights For Life, Inc.
P.O. Box 26485
Phoenix, AZ 85068-6485

or through the organization President:

Dean DeRosia
Phone: 623-492-9213
E-Mail: President@FlightsForLife.org

Web page questions/comments, email to WebMaster@FlightsForLife.org.